COMMUNICATION 102

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Winter 2006

 

 

                 

Instructor: Ron Weekes                                    Text: SPEAKING WITH A PURPOSE

Office: 251 Spori (Daily 10-11)                               Sixth Edition

Phone: 496-2933                                                       Arthur Koch

E-mail: weekesr@byui.edu

Home Page:  http://emp.byui.edu/weekesr

Other materials needed: One blank VHS videocassette

 

1/10     Class introduction

1/12     Self-introduction speeches

1/17     Speaking Effectively

1/19     Discuss Chapters 1 & 3, Discuss Experience speech

1/24     Discuss Chapter 7, How To Evaluate Speeches

1/26     Experience Speech Labs

1/31     Discuss Chapters 2 & 4                                                                        Test 1, 2/6-10

2/2       Experience Speeches                                                                           

2/7       Experience Speeches                                                               

2/9       Using Your Voice, Discuss Oral Reading assignment

2/14     Discuss Chapters 5 & 6

2/16     Discuss Chapter 8                                                                              Test 2, 2/21-24

2/21     Oral Readings                                                                                      

2/23     Oral Readings                                                                          

2/28     Discuss Chapter 9                                                                         Paper One is due                                                           

3/2       Informative Speech Labs                                                                     

3/7       Informative Speeches                                                   

3/9       Informative Speeches

3/14     Informative Speeches

3/16     Discuss Chapter 10/Argumentation and Logic                                                       

3/21     Persuasion:  How The Pros Do It

3/23     Persuasive Speech Labs                                              

3/28     Persuasive Speeches

3/30     Spring Break – No Classes                                                              

4/4       Persuasive Speeches

4/6       Discuss Chapter 11, Conducting Meetings & Interviewing                                

4/11     Working With PowerPoint                               

4/13     Group Presentation Preparation                                                Paper Two is due                             

4/18     Group Presentations                                                                       Test 3, 4/17-21                                       

4/20     Group Presentations                                                                            

                                                           


COMMUNICATION 102

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Course Syllabus

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Public Speaking is a class designed to help the student improve and sharpen their skills in organizing, preparing and delivering a speech to an audience.  This course is based on the assumption that human beings learn incrementally; that is, they learn in small bites, not big gulps.  This is especially true when they are learning a complex skill such as public speaking.  For that reason this course is designed to move from simple to complex, to learn public speaking one small lesson at a time.

This course is also based on a second assumption that it is not possible to become an effective public speaker without actual practice in the process.  Therefore, the course is designed to allow the student the maximum amount of time to prepare and deliver speeches.  The idea being that through the process of watching, evaluating, and delivering speeches, the student will get the maximum amount of skills enhancement.

One of the biggest problems college age students seem to have is stage fright.  Therefore, one of the first areas worked on is the overcoming and controlling of stage fright.  Other areas covered are listening, audience analysis, topic selection, research, organization of the speech, use of supporting material, introductions and conclusions, delivery techniques, visual aids, informative speaking, persuasive speaking, and group communication. 

The student is subjected to each of these areas in three ways.  First, the student reads about the topic in the text.  Second, the instructor goes over these points.  Third, the student actually uses the points to prepare, organize and deliver five different speeches.  This course is advantageous to everyone, but especially anyone going into a profession where they will be dealing with the public and have a need to communicate with others.

Additionally, the last few weeks of the semester will cover various aspects of public speaking that will need to allow you to be successful in your chosen career.

 

COURSE OUTLINE

The actual outline of the course will allow the student to present five speeches as well as one group presentation.  These start with the very simple and progress through the more complex.  Each speech is preceded with a lecture on the type of speech and techniques used in its preparation and delivery.  The first speech is one of introduction of the student.  (This speech will not be graded, but you will receive participation points.)  The second speech uses an experience from the student’s own life from which they learned a valuable lesson.  The third speech is an oral reading where the student finds, prepares and delivers a story with an extemporized introduction and conclusion.  The fourth speech is an informative speech utilizing visual aids.  The fifth speech is persuasive with the object of changing audience beliefs, attitudes, values, or behavior.  Speaking lab experiences in small groups allows each student to better prepare their speech for class.  A small group presentation will provide students the opportunity to sell a product using a PowerPoint to enhance their speech.   


COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

 

The student is required to read the textbook and is tested over the material in the text with four tests.  Once a test closes, no make up exams are allowed.

There are two written assignments that require the student to analyze their own speeches.  The student's experience and persuasive speeches will be videotaped.  A written evaluation by the student after viewing these speeches will comprise the two written assignments.  These evaluations are based on a list of evaluation techniques that are found at the end of the syllabus. 

 

SPEECH AND COURSE GRADING

 

Grading of the speeches is done by the instructor and three of the other students in the class picked at random.  The three peer evaluations are worth 50 percent of the grade and are averaged with the instructor’s grade for the final grade of that particular speech.  This has two distinct advantages: (1) it requires the student to carefully analyze the audience since one-half of your grade comes from them; and (2) it helps the student see the positive and negative points of a speaker which we will want to incorporate into our own speaking

 

Speech Bonus and Penalty Points:

 

It is extremely important that you rehearse your speech several times before you present it in class.    Each time you rehearse your speech, time yourself.  When you present your speech in class, you have an opportunity to acquire bonus points.  If your time estimate (derived from your rehearsing) is within thirty seconds either way of your estimate, you will receive five bonus points.  Each speech has a minimum and maximum length.  For each thirty seconds you are under the minimum time or over the maximum time, five points will be deducted from your final score.  So please be careful!         

Also, if you are scheduled to present your speech on a specific date, and do not show up in class that day, you will not be allowed to present the speech at a later date.  Thus, you will receive a zero score for that speech.

 

Speeches  (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

Group Presentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Tests (3 @ 100 points each). . .  . . .  . .300

Papers (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200

Attendance (29 @ 20 points each) . . . 290

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS . . . . . 1,340

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMUNICATION 102

Assignment Outline

 

            The grade you receive in this public speaking class will be based on four different things: (1) speeches you give in class, (2) tests over the text material, (3) written assignments, and (4) class attendance.

 

                You will give a total of five speeches plus one group presentation in class.  These are listed below, along with their relative weight on your grade.   There will be also be three tests from the text with multiple choice and true/false questions.  You will have three written assignments which are listed below along with their relative weights.  In addition, each class attended is worth ten points.

 

SPEECHES

 

Number          Speech                                                 Length            Weight   

    1          Introduction speech ‑ not graded              2-4 min.   50   

    2           Experience speech                                      4-6 min.            100   

    3           Oral reading from manuscript                  5-7 min.    100   

    4           Informative speech using visual aids       7-9 min.                  100

    5          Persuasive speech                                     6-8 min.  100   

    6           Group Presentation                                     5-7 min.            100

 

PAPERS

 

Number           Assignment                                                                   Weight     

    1                  Evaluation of your videotaped experience speech              100   

    2                  Evaluation of videotaped persuasive speech                  100  

  

 

TESTS      

Number                                    Chapters                                                          Weight                        

    1                                          1 through 4                                                         100               

    2                                          5 through 8                                                         100

    3                                          9 through 11+                                                    100

      

ATTENDANCE

REMEMBER, attendance will be taken each class period.  Each class period attended is worth 10 points.

 

HONOR CODE

I support all aspects of the honor and dress code.  Please come to class appropriately attired.  A reminder that hats, capris, shorts, and flip-flops are not appropriate classroom attire.

 

DISABILITY STATEMENT

In compliance with applicable disability law, qualified students with a disability may be entitled to “reasonable accommodation.”  It is the student’s responsibility to disclose to the teacher any special need she/he may have before the end of the first week of class.

 

 

COMMUNICATION 102

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

 

PAPER ONE:  An analysis of your experience speech.  Since you will review a videotape of your first evaluated speech, I would encourage you to do the following.  Using the sixteen points from the “Evaluation of A Live Speaker” handout, look for three weak areas in your presentation.  Discuss each weakness in a paragraph and what you hope to do during the semester to turn this weakness into a strength.  Consider making these weaknesses three attainable goals for the semester.  Next, look for three strengths in your presentation.  Discuss each strength in a paragraph and what you might do during the semester to improve upon this strength you already have.  If you work on these six areas, I guarantee you will be a much better speaker when the semester is over.  Your paper will be much stronger if you provide an introduction, transitional statements from point to point, and a well thought out conclusion. 

Length: three full pages typed double-spaced.

 

PAPER TWO:  An analysis of your persuasive speech.  This paper should be very similar to your first paper.  Recall the three weaknesses from your first paper.  Are they still noticeable or have you seen improvement.  Cite examples of that improvement.  Reflect upon the three strengths that you noted in your first paper.  Have you improved in other areas as well?  Since this paper will be due near the end of the semester, any comments on the instructor, text, course, etc. will be appreciated.

Length:  three full pages typed double-spaced.

 

Your papers will be graded on the following criteria:

 

1.  Completeness - Did you give me all the information I asked for?

 

2.  Understanding - Does your paper show you have analyzed and understood the material.

 

3.  Organization and intelligibility - You are understood only as far as you express yourself clearly.  If you have difficult time writing you can request the help of the writing lab on campus.  You should use a thesis, topic sentence, and support material.

 

4.  Mechanics - Format should be typed doubled spaced on one side of the page only.  Put your name on the front page.  Proofread!  Your paper should be free of errors in sentence structure, verb choice and agreement, spelling, punctuation and capitalization.


EVALUATION OF LIVE SPEAKERS

 

As general listeners, we react to speakers in a whole sense.  However, in evaluating speakers, as in our class situation, we must look at more specific details.  Here are some suggested items to consider: 

 

1. Rate ‑ Was the pace too fast or too slow to be comfortable?

  

2. Eye Contact ‑ Was the speaker developing good visual contact?  Did you feel he was talking to you?

  

3. Loudness ‑ Could the speech be heard all right?

  

4. Content ‑ What did he really say?  Was it worthwhile?

  

5. Posture ‑ Did the speaker appear comfortable, too relaxed etc.?

 

6. Gestures ‑ What were the hands doing?  Were movements helpful, or distracting?

  

7. Articulation ‑ Could the words be understood?  Were they clear?

 

8. Vocabulary ‑ Were the words used appropriate to this audience?     Were they vulgar and out of place for the listener?

  

9. Voice ‑ Did he make of use of vocal variety to help the audience understand and accept the points of the speech?

  

10. Did the speaker adapt his speech to this particular audience?

 

11. Did the speaker understand his subject?  Was it clear?

  

12. Was the speaker authoritative on his subject?  Did he appear to be a credible spokesperson for that subject?  Did you feel comfortable with the speaker as a person?

  

13. Was there appropriate support or evidence for his topic?  Were you able to accept the proposition or main points as presented by the speaker?

  

14. Did the speaker try to use factors of attention and interest to hold the listener?

 

15. Were the introduction and conclusion well done? Were these elements well planned, thoughtfully done, appropriate to the situation, in good taste, and consistent with the topic?

 

16. Was the length of the speech within the parameters set by the assignment?